ho gage railroad track cleaner/vacuum … vacuum switch.pdfho gage railroad track cleaner/vacuum car...
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HO GAGE RAILROADTRACK CLEANER/VACUUM CAR
My model railroad used to fill a quarter of the basement. Now it’s a circle under the Christmas tree! Thatcreates a major dust problem. The need for a track vacuum was great so I designed one.
The circuit board has a reed switch on each side of the box car. When they come near a magnet, the circuitis alternately switched on/off. My goal is to make a lap counter to push/pull a magnet near the track so thevacuum is on for one lap in every ten or so. But for now, it is turned on and off every other lap by a
Great for testing purposes.
A used filter from my C-Pap machine happens to fit in the box car. Air is drawn into the car from the trackcleaner/vacuum inlet resting on the rails and exits out the top, which is removed for cleaning.
The fan is a 5 VDC brushless type, 25x25x10 mm. It is driven by an 8 volt regulator. A typical 5 volt fan israted at 6 volts maximum. Pushing it to 8 volts is a stretch. The higher voltage increases suction and makesit sound like a vacuum, but shortens the life of the fan. Replacing the fan is extremely simple and easy. It justplugs in!
The circuit board mounting holes align with the mounting holes for the wireless 8 volt camera cars, but that’sanother project.
This vacuum works very well. This is year number 2 (2013). This unit was designed for Digital CommandControl (DCC) but will work with standard throttle controllers, perhaps not as well. There is no need for DCCcontrol. For normal layouts, simply vacuum the tracks a few times, park the car on a siding and turn it offwith a magnet attached to the end of a stick or wand.
magnethoused in a roadside shack.
©2013Lennie Zink
Vacuum plate. Track cleaning/polishing plates.
A roof-walk type car will not work well.A metal roof box car has more inside height.
Springs from ink pens are cut to lightlypush the fan against the car roof. Thefan supports are 12 AWG wire.
Blinking LED may be replaced with anLED strobe circuit (another project).
Electrical pickup detail:Notice the loop in the wireto prevent breakage.
The of the laser-cut axle wiper caused much frustration.The wiper would slip out of alignment. Thewiper is installed in a better fassion.
recommended installation
Wipers are bent aroundthe axle, keeping thepickup aligned properly.
Original wheels had plasticaxles. Replacements arenow warn, but clean.
A dab of adhesive keepssprings in place.
©2013Lennie Zink
Blinking LED may be replaced with anLED strobe circuit (another project).
Metal plate is drilled andtapped for 4-40 screws.
Notch keepsplate in position.
16 AWG wire issoldered onto 3/4”copper pipe. Thewire extends overthe top of the tube.
The track cleaner may be hardboardor PCB. The PCB is restored with aliquid cleaner. The hardboard isrestored by sanding.
©2013Lennie Zink
The holes in the box car arefrom fan position . Thebest ended up as a singlevent in the top.
The end position stirred updust.
Two fans in the top wereattached to the roof. This wasnot a convenient method. The2 fan prototype was noteffective as the fans starvedfor air. It looked and soundedimpressive though!
This view clearly shows that aroof-walk type car would notmake a good presentation.
I only tried ready-to-runAthearn cars. A hobby knifedrawn between the car walland frame breaks the gluespots well. The box is easilyremoved and replaced.
tests
PCB Version:The vacuum tube is
epoxied into the PCB.
The PCB plates areepoxied together.
Hardboard (HB) Version: The HB plateswere glued together. The tube’s tight fitrequired no epoxy.
Wires hold thefilter in place.
©2013Lennie Zink
The tube/plate fixture moves freely up and down. The side inlets clean dust off the rails. There’s enough airflow to do this as well as pick up particles from the track ties. You’ll be amazed!
Reed switches are located onboth sides of car. A magneton the end of a stick makes ahandy on/off device. Notethat the reed switches arelifted off the board andangled against the car wall.
PCB is a snug fit. Test fit theboard before populating it.1/4” threaded hex standoffssecure PCB to car frame.
Hole for blinking LED which has yet tobe made to protrude through the roof.
Caution: The methods I used to make these plates, accessories, and car modifications, could be hazardous.It is your responsibility to use care and caution. You assume all responsibility and liability!
©2013Lennie Zink
This car’s previous rolewas a simple track cleaner(another project).
V3 ©2013VACUUM
LENNIE ZINK
Vacuum TubeBottom Plate
Bottom View3/4”
COPPERPIPE
7/8”HOLE
STEEL ROOF
CAMERA CAMERA
FAN7/8 HOLE
FLOOR
FLOOR
4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL
4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL
8-32 THREAD#29 DRILL
FLOORUse #43 drill bitfor all holes first
ROOFUse #43 drill bitfor all holes first
4-40 THREAD#43 DRILL
LED7/32#50
DRILL
WIRE INLET HOLE7/32#50
DRILL
40 FTATHEARNBOX CAR
1 3/8"
2 1
/2"
0 7
/8"
Print templates and adhere toblocks.
Roof block should be a snug fit.
particleboard Cut/sand to template size.
The FLOOR template is used for boththe Vacuum and Video Camera cars.
CARBODY
16 AWGCOPPER
WIRE
CHAMFER EDGEIS A MUST!
TRACK CLEANINGPLATES MADEFROM EITHERCOPPERLESSPCB MATERIAL
OR 1/8” PRESSEDHARDBOARD
V3 ©2013VACUUM
LENNIE ZINK
Track PoweredPower Supply Switch
Vacuum
GS
D
R2100K
IC1LM7808
IC2CD4069UB
14
1
8
7
8VGND
C0.1
2mF
16VACIN
BR150V 1A
C0.1
3mF
R14M7
IGND
O
R3150/300R
J3 J2
J1
PARTS LAYOUT BOTTOM VIEW
Q1PMV65XP
C11000mF
35V
Q1 (surface mount device) is on foil side.
HO GAGE RAILROADTRACK CLEANER/VACUUM CAR
POWER SOURCE
J1
LM7808
G
I O
IC2ACD4069
1 2
TRACKPICKUPS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Vss D
Vcc
D
F
F
E
E
CD4069UBHEX INVERTER
3
2
1
5
4
6
C
C
A
A
B
B
GS
D
IC2BCD4069
4 3
7
14
C30.1mF
C11000mF
35v
BR150V 1ABRIDGE
ON/OFFREED SW
R14M7
R2100K
G S
D
LOAD
Q1PHILIPS
PMV65XP
IC1
PRESS ON/OFF LATCHING CIRCUITOriginal: http://www.discovercircuits.com/DJ-Circuits/on-off-latch.htm
C20.1mF J1 BYPASS
JUMPER
0 7/8"
1 "
©2013Lennie Zink
J1 BYPASSFor a constant voltage tothe fan, solder a wireacross the jumper bypassand use only theseelectronic parts:BR1, C1, C2, IC1.
See on parts layout.
Q1 is a surfacemount device.
DO NOT SCALE TO PRINT